New Transitional Housing Program To Launch In Kansas City

From the City of Kansas City:

April 28, 2021

The City of Kansas City will implement a new program to provide a unique living space for unhoused KCMO residents. By adapting the “tiny homes” trend, the city will create a village with individual cabins to provide emergency transitional housing for the unhoused, with office space onsite to provide additional services such as health care, counseling, and employment assistance.

“Our goal is to provide a large amount of emergency transitional housing to make sure we have safe, respectable, and climate-controlled living areas, particularly for those currently living in one of the 170 tent encampments across the city,” said City Manager Brian Platt. “This is one of several solutions we are exploring to create housing options that meet the diverse needs of our unhoused community.”

City staff is vetting locations for the village, which will have approximately 140 beds in cabins provided by Pallet, a social purpose company that builds access to housing and employment. The village will also have showers and laundry facilities onsite. The company set up a demonstration to give city officials, service providers, and members of the unhoused community an advance look at one of the cabins.

Merging KC will oversee construction of the transitional housing village and will help coordinate onsite services. Merging KC is a non-profit that focuses on bridging gaps and creating collaboration to end homelessness and restore green space in our community.

“Merging KC is proud of its new partnership with the City of Kansas City, Missouri. With the collaborative effort of city leaders, Merging KC, and many other local resources, we plan to provide services to those in need while helping them work towards long-term housing solutions,” said Houston DeFoe, president for Merging KC. “We see this as a transitional, rather than traditional solution.”

The village is just the latest of multiple programs and services the city has provided recently as we help our most vulnerable residents:

• The City has helped more than 300 people move from tent encampments to hotel rooms, while also providing access to wrap-around services to help stabilize their living situation. This is a 90-day program.
• The Kansas City Land Bank will soon publish an RFP to select community non-profit agencies that will get vacant houses for $1. The agencies will renovate and manage the properties to provide homes for the unhoused.
• The Bartle Hall Warming Center provided a safe, warm place to stay for an average of 307 people nightly during the worst two months of the winter.
• The City Council has established an Unhoused Task Force that includes members of the unhoused community and other stakeholders, all at the same table with councilmembers.
• Councilmember Ryana Parks-Shaw, Chair of the Unhoused Task Force, hosted a listening session on Saturday, April 24, to hear from those who are experiencing homelessness and service providers and gathered feedback to guide upcoming policy decisions.
• The City has invested $8.5 million in the past year to serve those experiencing homelessness. This funding supports community organizations that provide housing, emergency shelter, outreach, counseling, rent and utility assistance and other services to KCMO residents.
• To prevent homelessness, an additional $14.8 million in federal relief is now available to tenants through several community organizations. Go to KCMO.gov/renthelp for more info, an online application and the list of agencies to call for immediate help.
• We are creating a new, stand-alone Housing Department to focus on tenant advocacy, unhoused solutions, affordable housing and community development.

For more information about the city’s programs and services, please contact City Communications Director Chris Hernandez at 816-787-1507.

For more information about Merging KC and construction of the new transitional housing village, please contact Houston DeFoe.

This press release was produced by the City of Kansas City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.